Title transliterations, clutter

[Christopher]

The current policy for titles in a non-Roman writing system allows users to add the transliteration to the "title" field. However this makes for a very cluttered title field, and looks terrible in bookshelves. For example here is a sample from my Japanese bookshelf:

容疑者Xの献身 [Yōgisha X no kenshin] (ガリレオ, #3)
蟹工船 / 党生活者 [Kanikousen / Tou Seikatsusha]
海辺のカフカ [Umibe no Kafuka] Vol.1

As far as I can tell, the transliterations aren't particularly helpful to anyone. But even if I am wrong about this, could the policy not be changed such that transliterations would be limited to the "sort by title field", which would make them not as visible and not such an eyesore?

[lethe]

The "sort by title" field is only visible to librarians, not to users in general, for whom the transliterations might also be useful.

Personally, I like having the transliterations for languages I can't read such as Japanese and Chinese, where I'd otherwise have no clue what the pronunciation would be. Also, I find it makes combining and separating easier.

There is also f.e. the Serbian language. Some books are published in Cyrillic, but I'm told many (most?) Serbian users use the Latin alphabet to look up books*. Having the transliteration in Latin helps them find those books.

*ETA: because most browsers use Serbian Latin

[Tytti]

Well I sometimes might need them when looking for books (so I can add a new edition) because I can't search them in Japanese, for example.

[rivka, Former Moderator]

The policy was changed to allow the transliterations specifically because multiple users asked for them. Specifically to be able to search for them, which the sort-by field would also not allow.

[Christopher]

Well, this policy will have to be changed at the latest when Goodreads aims for the Japanese and Chinese markets (when they translate the site into those languages), to offer a clean presentation. I thought we could get ahead of the curve but it looks like the preferences of non-speakers of these languages are being privileged over the preferences of speakers. Which isn't really surprising because the speakers don't have much of a voice here because most of them aren't comfortable enough with English to participate in this group's discussions.

[lethe]

I also gave the example of Serbian Cyrillic and Serbian Latin, which I was told about by a Serbian user.

I don't think the preferences of non-speakers are being privileged, but the fact remains that Goodreads is an American site and it has to be workable for as many people as possible.

[rivka, Former Moderator]

Actually, the requests came from native speakers, as well as others.

[Christopher]

rivka wrote: "Actually, the requests came from native speakers, as well as others."

Until recently, input support for other writing systems was spotty, so I can understand that. But thankfully that is no longer the case (at least for East Asian languages). The big reading sites for Japanese or Chinese like 読書メーター or 豆瓣读书 don't have transliterations next to titles, for the reasons stated above.


Tytti wrote: "Well I sometimes might need them when looking for books (so I can add a new edition) because I can't search them in Japanese, for example. "

I'm not sure what you mean. You can't input the Japanese title into the search field? Or you can't recognize a Japanese title if you are looking at a list of search results?


lethe wrote: "
I don't think the preferences of non-speakers are being privileged, but the fact remains that Goodreads is an American site and it has to be workable for as many people as possible. "

Many (most?) titles in a non-Roman writing system do not have transliterations next to them, and it does not make Goodreads unworkable.

[Tytti]

Christopher wrote: "I'm not sure what you mean. You can't input the Japanese title into the search field? Or you can't recognize a Japanese title if you are looking at a list of search results?"

No, of course I can't input the Japanese title, how could I? I don't speak Japanese and I couldn't type them anyway. And sometise they can only be found transliterated. And no, I wouldn't recognize a Japanese title because I can't speak Japanese.

Also for example kyrillic letters are much easier to read than Japanese even if you don't speak the language. I can even type them if necessary.

[Christopher]

Tytti wrote: "No, of course I can't input the Japanese title, how could I? I don't speak Japanese and I couldn't type them anyway."

By input I mean copy and paste then press enter. Because that's about all anyone would need to do. And I think anyone can manage that.


"And no, I wouldn't recognize a Japanese title because I can't speak Japanese."

You're saying that if you look up a Japanese title from Wikipedia, then try to find it in, let's say, a list of editions to combine, you couldn't recognize that title? I don't know how to read Devanagari, but I could still manage such a task with a Hindi title.

[lethe]

Christopher wrote: "I don't know how to read Devanagari, but I could still manage such a task with a Hindi title."

Well, good for you.

[rivka, Former Moderator]

I think this thread has served its purpose.